Bashar al-Assad
On the ground
Middle East
![Christian worshippers stage a demonstration in the Mariamite Church in Damascus early on December 24, 2024.](https://s.france24.com/media/display/d853248c-c1ca-11ef-923b-005056a97e36/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"SYRIA","hash":"6ba06baf04981965c4d39969d9cc8050f446e76fb7ef37890764665dd2a3dc42","title":"Hundreds%20of%20Christians%20protest%20after%20Christmas%20tree%20burned","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/000_36RD9AH.webp)
![Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) is received by new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C-R) in Damascus on Monday.](https://s.france24.com/media/display/54dda6a0-c10b-11ef-9f5a-005056a97e36/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"AL-SHARAA","hash":"8fe2d4c6b92eb8c2ac6715a5342f24840b8b1b6df7bf09573bd525ee7d482f15","title":"Jordanian%2C%20Qatari%20envoys%20meet%20Syria's%20new%20leader","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/f2500ed94fed4b59d9841d0005611dbdf70a4333.webp)
![FRANCE 24 team returns from Syria](https://s.france24.com/media/display/57deba96-bfc7-11ef-a2dd-005056a90284/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"SYRIA","hash":"1aadaec4009f1d94a337c98e65e0462453d82899a74e1b336420d0cd09661ff3","title":"%E2%80%98Tolerance%E2%80%99%20or%20%E2%80%98vengeance%E2%80%99%3A%20Future%20of%20Syria%20hangs%20in%20the%20balance","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/capture-704264201676705644c36e2.53626429.webp)
!['World has history of once-radical rebel leaders having to moderate to face realities of governance'](https://s.france24.com/media/display/34ff0012-bf04-11ef-a6f5-005056bfb2b6/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"SYRIA%20AND%20'GOOD%20GOVERNANCE'","hash":"b8f2a1951d1cfc2318bd38e16eff550fe67a7959019074c7374cc9fdf9a08b6b","title":"US-HTS%3A%20Focus%20on%20representation%20or%20'imposing%20Western%20framework'%3F","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/EN_20241220_180139_181738_CS.webp)
![Syrians wave the independence-era flag after midday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on December 20, 2024.](https://s.france24.com/media/display/ed0aeca4-bee4-11ef-998b-005056a97e36/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"SYRIA","hash":"8d56e5c8f2e650c4a6669d7c1af5a88a2f8e51f5717bf396e8213622ecca2033","title":"First%20official%20talks%250Awith%20US","id":"25aba80c-45fb-11ec-90e2-005056bf30b7"}/5d7aac298a4e90bed0ff8ef4a9e893852e601bbb.webp)
Analysis
Middle East
On the ground
Middle East
![IDLIB](https://s.france24.com/media/display/08a6acbe-bd23-11ef-a744-005056bf30b7/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"FRANCE%2024%20IN%20SYRIA","hash":"4d3ad1be8f107392cdc066f2e93d6543c45578ca58c99187615cfc7b5930a3b7","title":"Is%20rebel-stronghold%20Idlib%20%250Aa%20model%20for%20Syria%E2%80%99s%20future%3F","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/capture-1723419471676296bb8a2515.59167169.webp)
As it happened
Middle East
Interview
Middle East
![Abou Mohammed al-Joulani, le chef du groupe islamiste HTC, qui se fait désormais appeler par son vrai nom, Ahmad al-Chareh, lors d'une interview avec France 24, le 16 décembre 2024.](https://s.france24.com/media/display/d7863f2e-bc4f-11ef-8a59-005056a97e36/w:720/p:16x9/m:{"brand":"FRANCE24","lang":"EN","program":"","cartouche":"FRANCE%2024%20IN%20SYRIA","hash":"3789404a338244c4256df72f31b9e353746f6e0e791d8c354384aa9ee0ebf741","title":"FRANCE%2024%20has%20met%250AAhmed%20Al-Sharaa","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/image0-15.webp)
As it happened
Middle East
